By Mary Olson –
Certified Master Gardener Terry Garman presents a program on Winter Vegetable Gardening at EP Foster Library Topping Room on Saturday, October 4, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Learn what to plant for your winter garden, when to plant, how to prepare your soil, fertilizing and irrigating, as well as how to deal with vegetable garden pests. Register for the event at
https://www.library.venturacounty.gov/event/winter-vegetable-gardening-6132
Ventura Friends of the Library will hold their Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, October 5, 1:00 to 3:00 pm in E.P. Foster Library Topping Room. Our guest speaker will be Elisabeth Haggblade, who will discuss her memoir Trauterose: Growing Up in Postwar Munich. Her memoir recounts her childhood in Germany after World War II. Orphaned at birth during WWII, she was fostered by a former S.S. officer and his family. Negotiating daily life postwar was challenging living in a garden hut located several miles from school. After her foster mother passed, she was accepted into the Sisters of St. Anna Heim boarding school. This education led to her immigration to the U.S. and teaching.
She will have books for sale at the meeting (cash only) for $18 and she will sign them. Her presentation will be followed by a brief business meeting for members to elect the officers for 2026.
Our annual meetings are always open to guests who are interested in our organization or our guest speakers!
Horror in the Stacks returns to E.P. Foster Library on Saturday, October 11
Stop in for a frightfully fun evening as the library transforms into a haunted space!
Foster Library – Line starts at the 2nd floor entrance
- 7:00 – 7:30 PM: Spooky Fun for Young Kids
Enjoy a mild version of the haunted library—perfect for younger visitors. - 8:00 – 9:00 PM: Enter If You Dare for All Ages
The scares ramp up! Brave the haunted library if you dare.
This free event is open to youth in grades 5–12. Children in 4th grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Hosted by Foster Library’s Teen Advisory Group and sponsored by Ventura Friends of the Library.
The One County, One Book community reading title selection for 2025 is The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel. Print copies of The Art Thief are available to borrow at all branches and digital eBook and eAudio copies are available to borrow through cloudLibrary.
Saticoy Library will host a discussion of the book on Saturday, October 4, 10:30 to 11:30 am.
The author and journalist Michael Finkel will make a special appearance at the Pavilion at the Museum of Ventura County at 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 11. The event is free, no reservations required.
Books, Butterflies and the Botanical Garden. The Ventura County Library Foundation presents a magical day surrounded by books and the beauty of the botanical gardens! Featuring Woody Woodburn, author of The Butterfly Tree and Ventura County Star Columnist. Woody will be signing copies of his book which will be available for sale at the event.
Guests will also enjoy inspiring presentations from Dallas Woodburn: author, editor, book coach & podcaster; Dr. Jana Johnson: Lead Biologist of The Endangered Butterfly Project and Joe Cahill: CEO of the Botanical Gardens. Short programs are scheduled at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, followed by Q&A. The noon to 4 pm event includes self-guided tours of the five distinct Mediterranean climate zones of the world, raffles and desserts.
$40 per ticket – advanced registration; $50 per ticket at door. Purchase tickets at https://www.vclibraryfoundation.org/events/
